A Twist of Fate
by Child of Dreams
Summary: Alternate Universe! Layla Potter wakes up on the morning of her 16th birthday to an unexpected surprise. And as if it wasn't difficult enough going to bed human only to wake up the next morning as a completely different species altogether, Layla also has to deal with being mated to an extremely overprotective werewolf. CURRENTLY ON HIATUS DUE TO A SEVERE CASE OF WRITER'S BLOCK!
1. Prologue

**A Twist of Fate  
By: Child of Dreams**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.  
If I did, Harry would be female and Remus would have married her instead of Tonks!**

**A Message From the Author: (walks up on stage)  
Okay, my darlings, this is the revised, much better planned out version of Destiny's Light.  
While the basics will remain the same, for example, Female-Harry, a creature inheritance, Remus as her mate and the general plotline, other things, like her name and exactly what creature she becomes, have been changed.  
So, now that that's out of the way, I am proud to present A Twist of Fate!  
(fireworks explode in the air and curtains slowly start to open)  
Please sit back and enjoy the show!  
(exits stage)**

**Chapter One: Prologue**

**The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches  
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies  
And the Dark Lord will mark her as his equal, but she shall have power the Dark Lord knows not  
And either must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives  
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...**

July 31, 1980  
11:59 p.m.  
St. Mungo's Maternity Ward

"How are you feeling, Lils?" James asked eagerly as he aimed the video camera at his heavily-pregnant wife.  
"How do you think I feel, James?" the redheaded witch snarled furiously, panting heavily between contractions.  
"Turn that thing off!"  
"What are you hoping for?" he continued, smirking and dancing out of reach as she made a furious grab for him.  
"That someone will give me a wand so I can castrate you!" she ground out through tightly clenched teeth.  
"Do you realize that in just a few seconds, we'll be parents?" he pressed with a huge grin.  
"Do you realize that in about a minute, you're going to be divorced?" Lily shot back angrily.  
Her face contorted in pain as another contraction hit.

"You're doing great, Lily!" the Healer encouraged cheerfully.  
"Just one more push!"  
The red-haired woman let out a long, agonizing groan, her face sweaty with exertion.  
A second later, the piercing cry of a newborn filled the air just as the clock struck midnight.  
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Potter!" the Healer exclaimed as she cleaned the wailing infant up.  
"You have a beautiful baby girl!"  
The redhead smiled tiredly as the Healer placed the blanket-wrapped bundle in her arms before sending another glare in James' direction.  
The messy-haired man paid her no heed as he practically skipped over to the door and opened it to reveal two grinning Marauders.

"Wormtail couldn't make it," Remus told James as he stepped into the room.  
"Something about having to take care of his sick mother..."  
"Hiya, Lilykins!" Sirius chirped happily as he bounced over to the bed.  
"Ewww, she's all tiny and wrinkled and red..." he grimaced as he caught a glimpse of the infant.  
Lily raised an eyebrow as the werewolf smacked the Grim Animagus over the head.  
"Are you insinuating that there's something wrong with my baby, Black?" the redhead asked sweetly, her piercing green eyes glinting dangerously at the Marauder.  
Sirius paled.  
"No, no!" he backtracked hurriedly, eyes wide.  
"There's nothing wrong with her, she's beautiful and perfect and definitely not a infant version of a female Crabbe and Goyle combined into one person..." the Animagus babbled nervously.  
Lily's eyebrow just arched up further as Remus groaned, burying his face in his hands.  
"Now you've done it..." the werewolf grumbled in irritation as James approached.  
"Well, Pads, if you really feel that way about your goddaughter, perhaps we should have made Remus her godfather instead."  
The werewolf snorted in amusement as Sirius quickly began stammering jumbled apologies before suddenly jumping ten feet in the air with a high-pitched yelp, clutching his backside protectively in both hands as the messy-haired Auror sent a barrage of stinging hexes in his direction.

October 17, 1981  
5:30 p.m.  
Godric's Hollow

"Are you sure you want me to be your Secret Keeper?" Peter stuttered in shock as James chased after a one year old Layla who was flying around the living room on the toy broom that Sirius had gotten her as a birthday present, knocking a hideous pink vase decorated with tiny red roses off of the glass coffee table and onto the floor, glass shards scattering everywhere.  
Shadow, Lily's black cat streaked under the couch with a furious hiss, fur standing on end.  
"Layla, baby, _please_ get off the broom!" the bespectacled man begged as he watched his precious baby girl zoom around in the air on the crazy wooden deathtrap disguised as a children's toy.  
He was going to _murder_ that stupid mutt for giving his baby something so dangerous as a broomstick, and after he had _specifically_ told him that Layla wasn't allowed anywhere near a broom until she was twenty-five!

And let's not even talk about Layla dating.  
Just the thought of boys coming within a hundred feet of his sweet, innocent daughter had him automatically reaching for his wand.  
"Layla, stop!" he pleaded as the one year old knocked over a lamp.  
The 21 year old groaned and flopped into an armchair.  
Yep, he was definitely going to kill Sirius once Layla was asleep in her crib for the night.

November 1, 1981  
11:45 p.m.  
Little Whinging, Surrey

Albus Dumbledore stepped forward and gently laid the blanket-wrapped bundle on the front doorstep of Number Four, Privet Drive.  
Nice and warm inside her snuggly cocoon of blankets, a sleeping Layla wriggled slightly, her tiny fingers clenching firmly over the corner of an envelope that was tucked in her small fist.  
On her forehead, underneath a tuft of black hair, was a fresh cut in the shape of a lightning bolt, the only reminder, besides the nightmares that the newly-orphaned toddler would surely have as she grew older, of the terrible events that had taken place just 24 hours before.  
As the adults departed, little Layla slept on.  
The poor child had absolutely no idea just how difficult her life was about to become.


	2. Birthday Tidings

**Chapter Two: Birthday Tidings**

Layla Anneliese Potter let out a soft moan as she slowly drifted into consciousness on the morning of her 16th birthday.  
Every muscle, bone, joint and tendon in her body ached.  
Gingerly sitting up, she winced as pain shot through her back and slowly got to her feet.  
Stumbling painfully towards the door, Layla suddenly became aware that she wasn't wearing her glasses and yet could see everything with 100% clarity.

She moved silently through the hall and immediately caught sight of her reflection in the mirror upon entering the tiny bathroom.  
Removing her nightgown for a better look, Layla's jaw dropped.  
Her eyes were a deeper, more intense shade of emerald and almost seemed to glow with a strange inner light.  
She had long, thick eyelashes, high cheekbones and a gently sloping nose that was placed perfectly over full, slightly pouty lips.  
Her previously straight, shoulder-length raven-black hair was now two or three shades darker and fell to her waist in gently curling waves.  
Her complexion was flawless and her hips were slimmer and dare she say, curvier.  
Not a freckle, mole, pimple or scar marred her creamy flesh and Layla sighed happily.  
She was beautiful.

Wondering what the hell was going on and if she had gone through any other changes, the newly-turned 16 year old suddenly felt a light tingling sensation behind her shoulder blades right before two large feathered wings burst from her back.  
Layla gasped in awe, admiring her beautiful new appendages, which were a stunning combination of inky black, midnight blue and deep purple feathers with elegant swirls of silver and gold scattered here and there.  
Suddenly, she heard a sleepy grunt from across the hall.  
The merest thought had her wings quickly receding and Layla quickly pulled her nightgown back on before hurrying silently back down the hall and into her bedroom.

Flopping onto the bed, Layla sighed deeply and buried her face in the thin, musty gray blanket that the Dursleys had given to her for use as a makeshift bedspread.  
"What am I?" the raven-haired girl wondered curiously.  
Grabbing a large, leather bound book titled _'Creatures of Myth and Legend: A Guide for the Newly-Inherited Witch or Wizard'_, she started frantically flipping through the pages in a desperate search for answers as to what she had become.

_"__Demons__...__Drackens__...__Dragels__...__Drakes__...__Dryads__...__Elves__...__Fae__...__Kitiara__...__Kitsunes__...__Merfolk__...__Nymphs__...__Sarkany__...__Torvaks__..._  
_Vampires__...__Veela__..."_ Layla murmured as she turned the pages.

Suddenly she stopped at a page with a sketch of a beautiful female with wings strikingly similar to Layla's own, the only difference being the colors and patterns of the feathers.

_SHADOW VEELA_

_Shadow Veela, unlike their fair-haired, silver-eyed cousins, have dark brown to black hair, eyes ranging in color from steel gray to piercing jade to darkest black, razor-sharp claws and feathered wings in various colors, hues and patterns.  
There are two kinds of Shadow Veela, dominant and submissive.  
It may sometimes be difficult to distinguish between the two, however a dominant Shadow Veela's wing feathers will only have one or two colors while a submissive's wings may contain as many as five separate colors, depending on how powerful the submissive is.  
Not much is known about Shadow Veela, but it is believed that, similar to regular Veela, they have a single destined mate, who they will immediately recognize upon their first sighting of said mate after receiving their inheritance and remain deeply attached to for the rest of their lives.  
Unlike regular Veela, however, who are only able to mate with Wizards or other Veela, Shadow Veela, being neither Dark nor Light, are bound by no such restrictions, and therefore are free to mate with any species they may desire.  
If said mate is also a magical creature, their creature half will also recognize the Shadow Veela in kind.  
However, if, upon being told of the mateship, their mate should reject them, the Shadow Veela will enter a state of severe depression, during which they will slowly waste away, little by little, until Death finally takes mercy on them and puts an end to their suffering.  
Currently, no Shadow Veela has ever lasted longer than three months after being rejected by their mate.  
Shadow Veela have been classed as an internationally protected species by Ministry law since 1623 and it is considered a crime punishable by death to kill a Shadow Veela unless in cases of self defense.  
The same protection applies to a Shadow Veela's mate, regardless of species, as well as any offspring they may have._

Layla closed the book, her mind whirling.  
She just had to become a bloody Veela!  
And not just a normal bloody Veela, either, but a freaking Shadow Veela!  
A bloody submissive freaking Shadow Veela!  
She groaned and buried her face into her mattress.  
Fate truly was a bitch!


	3. Found Out

**Chapter Three: Found Out**

Layla struggled furiously in her uncle's grasp, Hedwig's cage clamped tightly in her arms as the disgustingly obese man dragged the 16 year old by her hair down the stairs, her wand stowed away in the back pocket of her jeans.  
It had been three days since her sixteenth birthday, three days since the dark-haired girl had discovered her creature inheritance, and her situation couldn't possibly get any worse.

Just a few hours earlier, Dudley had accidentally walked in on the young Shadow Veela attempting to control her appearance by continuously shifting back and forth between forms.  
The overweight boy had immediately ran screaming to Mummy, resulting in the situation that she found herself experiencing now.  
Opening the door, the beefy Muggle violently shoved his niece out onto the front lawn, the impact causing her wand to snap in two, before tossing her trunk out after her.  
"Don't you ever darken our doorstep again!" Vernon roared furiously before slamming the door closed and locking it.

Wincing painfully at her scraped palms and bruised hip, the raven-haired teen gingerly got to her feet before setting off down the street.  
The night sky was sprinkled with stars and the nearly-full moon shone down upon her as she strapped Hedwig's cage to her trunk before heading off down the sidewalk.  
As she walked, she wondered what was going to happen to her, now that her relatives had kicked her out.  
Obviously, the Blood Wards were no longer in effect.  
Turning the corner of Magnolia Crescent, she collapsed tiredly onto a low wall.  
There was no way she could make it much farther without help, her trunk was simply too heavy and her body was still recuperating from the stress of her creature inheritance.

All of a sudden, a powerful wave of adrenaline coursed through her body and the teenager felt stronger, more energized.  
Her rapidly diminishing energy now fully restored, and, from the feeling of it, with some extra to spare, the 16 year old immediately resumed her journey, shivering slightly in the cool night air.  
After a few hours, however, it began to rain and Layla was soon drenched to the bone, her dark hair plastered to her scalp in wet, tangled clumps.

Passing a dark alley, she saw a group of four seedy-looking men standing just outside a bar, smoking cigarettes and wolf-whistling as she passed.  
"Hey, baby," one of them called after her, "wanna meet a real man?"  
Layla just sped up, desperate to get away from those men.  
The raven-haired girl didn't know why, but they scared her.  
"Come on, Sweetheart, don't be like that!" the men protested, chasing after her.  
She broke into a run but one of her shoelaces came untied and she tripped, her head bashing painfully against the concrete.

The men caught up and the teenager kicked out furiously, but the injury to her head had caused her vision to deteriorate into a gray haze and she missed, blackness dancing around the edges of her vision and she missed.  
The men just laughed at her, pinning her to the sidewalk as she kicked and thrashed violently.  
Her creature attributes came out and she lashed out viciously with her claws, gouging one man's arm and catching another across the cheek.  
"You little bitch!" her captor cursed, backhanding her roughly and sending her crashing back to the ground.  
Darkness swam before her and Layla struggled desperately to remain alert.  
The next thing she knew, however, one of the men had kicked her roughly in the head and her eyes closed against her will.  
The last thing her fuzzy brain registered was a furious snarl, quickly followed by multiple dull thuds before her injured body was suddenly cradled protectively in a pair of warm, muscled arms.  
Then, nothing.


	4. Searching

**Chapter Four: Searching**

Number 12, Grimmauld Place  
London, England

Remus let out a roar of rage as his fist slammed into a brick wall at the end of a dark alleyway.  
The wards surrounding the Dursley residence at Number Four, Privet Drive had fallen and the Order had immediately responded.  
Apparating to the ordinary suburban Muggle neighborhood, they were confused when they'd seen no sign of trouble whatsoever.

Upon interrogating Layla's relatives, however, it was quickly revealed that the raven-haired teen had come into a creature inheritance on her birthday and upon Dudley's accidental discovery of said creature status, Vernon had immediately kicked the poor girl out.  
Now the 16 year old was missing, quite possibly wandering the streets and most likely completely and utterly lost.  
And Moony was pissed.


	5. Fever Dreams and Dominant Protectiveness

**Chapter Five: Fever Dreams and Dominant Protectiveness**

_Layla struggled desperately against the ropes tying her to the wooden stake._  
_As the executioner took a lighted match to the large pile of wood underneath her, the 16 year old could see the Dursleys watching gleefully as the fire quickly flared up around her._  
_Layla screamed and screamed, writhing in excruciating pain as the flames seared her skin._  
_The smell of singed hair and burning flesh filled her nostrils and the teenager coughed harshly, choking on the thick black smoke._

August 5, 1996  
Ravenwood Hall  
Toulouse, France

Blaise Zabini watched silently as his mother placed a cool compress on Layla's forehead, having force-fed the unconscious teenager yet another Fever Reducer not ten minutes ago.  
"Maman, is she going to be alright?" the male Shadow Veela asked worriedly.  
Esmeralda's brow furrowed and her eyebrows scrunched together the way they always did when she was either stressed or worried.  
"I do not know, my son!" she said quietly, gazing sadly at the unconscious girl in the bed.  
"Her fever is very high and she's not responding to the potions I've been giving her.  
If her fever rises much more, she risks slipping into a coma."

Blaise moved over to the bed and took hold of the sick girl's hand.  
"Come on, Piccola, you have to fight it!" the Slytherin boy urged.  
Layla moaned weakly, but was otherwise unresponsive and Blaise sighed heavily.  
He had come across her being attacked by a gang of drunken Muggle men in Muggle London and had immediately recognized her as not only a fellow Shadow Veela, but a submissive Shadow Veela, which, as he was a dominant, brought out his protective instincts.

Blaise's fists clenched and his claws emerged, his black and gray wings flaring stiffly in anger as he recalled the condition he'd found her in.  
He should have gutted the bastards before ripping out their throats and placing their heads on an iron pike, but fortunately for them, he had been in a hurry.  
If Layla died, though, no amount of luck would save them from his wrath.


	6. The Search Ends

**Chapter Six: The Search Ends**

August 7, 1996  
Unknown Location  
Muggle London

Remus let out a frustrated growl as the werewolf came to yet another dead end.  
Three days.  
Three days since the Order had discovered Layla's disappearance.  
The full moon was that night and Moony was clawing at his confines, frantic to get out and search for the missing girl himself.

Suddenly, his nose twitched as a tall boy who Remus recognized as Blaise Zabini exited an Apothecary, his elderberry odor mixed with a familiar hint of honey and jasmine that the werewolf recognized as Layla's unique scent.  
Before the Slytherin could react, Remus had him pinned to a brick wall by his throat, elongated fangs mere centimeters away from the teenager's jugular.  
"Where. Is. Layla?" the werewolf ground out through tightly clenched teeth.

Blaise gasped for breath.  
"Why should I tell you anything?" the Slytherin retorted suspiciously.  
"How do I know you won't try to hurt her?"  
Remus' pupils were now ringed with gold.  
"I would never hurt Layla!" he snarled furiously.  
"Now tell me where she is, I can smell her on you."

To his credit, Blaise didn't so much as bat an eyelash.  
"If you would kindly release me, I might actually be able to answer your question!" the Shadow Veela responded coolly.  
The werewolf reluctantly acquiesced, but drew his wand just in case as Blaise gingerly rubbed his throat.  
"She's at home with my mother!" he finally answered.  
Remus' eyes flashed angrily.  
"Take me to her," the werewolf demanded, yanking the Slytherin teen to his feet and jabbing his wand roughly into the middle of the boy's back.  
"Now."


	7. A Werewolf's Rage

**Chapter Seven: A Werewolf's Rage**

"Layla!" Remus gasped out hurriedly as he rushed over to the unconscious girl's bedside, paying no heed to the startled woman he'd accidentally knocked over in his haste.  
"Oh Merlin, Layla..."  
He grasped her limp hand tightly, fingers carding gently through the dark hair before the werewolf suddenly recoiled with a sharp hiss as he felt the burning heat emitting from the teenager's skin.

"What happened to her?" Remus demanded anxiously, his voice rising higher in panic.  
Moony was raging wildly inside the werewolf's head, chanting_ "Mate, Mate, Mate, something's wrong with Mate, must help Mate!"_  
Blaise sighed.  
"I was running an errand for my mother in Muggle London when I came across her being attacked by a group of Muggle men.  
Unfortunately, by the time I found her, it had been raining for almost an hour."

Remus growled under his breath as his face darkened with rage.  
"Bastards...how dare they...my mate..."

Blaise' eyes widened in surprise at the werewolf's unexpected usage of the "M" word.  
All of a sudden, there was a low moan and their attention immediately returned to the unconscious girl in the bed.  
"Layla?" Remus choked out hoarsely, frantically running his fingers through her dark hair.  
"Layla, honey, can you hear me?

The 16 year old's fingers twitched slightly and her eyebrows scrunched up together.  
"P'fessor L'pin?" she slurrred thickly.  
Tears streamed down the werewolf's cheeks as he squeezed her hand gently.  
"Yes, honey, it's me."

Layla's jaw twisted in a grimace of pain.  
"Hot..." the raven-haired teen croaked out weakly.  
"Too hot..."  
She fell silent and Remus turned to face Blaise.  
"Please tell me she'll be okay!" the werewolf pleaded desperately.

But the Slytherin just shook his head sadly.  
"I don't know," he sighed heavily.  
"Professor Snape's been coming every few hours with Fever Reducers, but nothing's working."  
Remus let out a pained sob as he pressed a soft kiss to his mate's heated forehead.  
"Come on, Layla, please, you have to get better..."


	8. Panic and Worry

**Chapter Eight: Panic and Worry**

_Layla was floating away, slowly sinking down to the bottom of a deep, dark lake._  
_She knew she was drowning, but she simply couldn't muster up the energy to care._

_Above her, she could see a dim light shining through the murky darkness._  
_Something tickled her face and there was a dull burning sensation in her chest._  
_Soon, however, she felt nothing._

Remus let out a soft sob as he gazed down at the feverish girl lying motionless in the bed.  
It had been two days since the werewolf had finally discovered the raven-haired teen's location, only to find her burning up with a dangerously high fever that stubbornly refused to break, along with the shocking realization that she was his mate.

Snape walked into the room just as Layla's body seized up and she started convulsing.  
Remus grabbed the teenager's arms while the Potions Master went for her legs, trying to prevent her from inadvertently injuring herself as she thrashed and flailed uncontrollably.  
All of a sudden, the convulsions stopped and the 16 year old's body fell limply back onto the bed.

The werewolf cautiously laid a hand over the dark-haired girl's partly open mouth and cried out in horror.  
"Oh Merlin, she's not breathing!"  
He pressed two fingers to her throat.  
"I can't find a a pulse!"

* * *

Layla fl_oated up near the ceiling, completely invisible to the room's occupants as she gazed down at the scene below._

Remus knelt next to the bed, cradling the 16 year old's lifeless body close to his chest as tears streamed down his cheeks while Professor Snape sent multiple spells at her limp form, his frantic casting growing more and more desperate with every second that the raven-haired girl didn't respond.  
Blaise was frozen in place near the door with his mother's hand on his shoulder.

_Layla felt a strong pull and struggled desperately to remain where she was._

_When the tugging ceased, she looked down to find that the scene had changed._

The teenager's body was now stretched out on the bed, the still-sobbing werewolf frantically petting her hair as the Potions Master sent a sizzling bolt of crackling red light directly into her heart.

The dark-haired girl's back arched stiffly before falling back onto the bed, her head lolling limply to the side as Lupin wept brokenly over her lifeless form, tenderly caressing her deathly pale cheek.

A second bolt of light yielded the same results as the previous one and the werewolf let out a scream of anguish, roughly shaking Layla by the shoulders as he begged and pleaded for her to stay.

A third bolt hit and a choking gasp rang out as the teenager suddenly began to breathe.

Tears fell down Remus's face as the werewolf gathered the unconscious girl into his arms, smothering her pale, bruised face in wet, tearful kisses as he thanked any God that might be listening.

_Layla felt a powerful force tugging at her and surrendered, allowing herself to be sucked into darkness._


	9. Back to the Waking World

**Chapter Nine: Back to the Waking World**

The first thing that Layla noticed as she slowly returned to consciousness was a steady, pounding pain in her skull.  
Her head hurt so badly that the 16 year old was almost convinced that somebody was attacking it with a sledgehammer.  
Letting out a weak groan, she immediately winced in pain.  
Her throat felt like it was on fire.

Finally managing to pry her heavy eyelids open, the dark-haired girl gasped in amazement as she took in the huge bedroom she was currently occupying.  
The walls were a soft lavender with gold accents and the ceiling had been enchanted to show the Northern Lights.  
Turning her head weakly, she was surprised to find Professor Lupin fast asleep in a chair next to her bed, his hand loosely entwined with Layla's own.  
The sleeping werewolf's face was pale and drawn, his forehead tightly creased with worry lines.  
Layla let out a soft sigh of contentment as an empty space in her heart that she hadn't even known existed was suddenly filled.  
_"Mate..." _her Veela cooed happily in the back of her mind.

A few seconds later, Lupin began to stir and his grayish-brown eyes slowly blinked open.  
He took one look at the wide-awake girl and let out a low sob of relief.  
"Thank Merlin!" the werewolf choked out tearfully as he hugged her gently.  
"I was so scared..."  
The raven-haired teen could feel warm tears dripping into her hair and weakly hugged the werewolf back as best she could, trying to provide as much comfort as possible.

After a few minutes, the 16 year old was overwhelmed with a crushing wave of exhaustion.  
Yawning heavily, she felt Remus gently easing her back down on the bed and snugly tucking the covers around her as her eyes drifted shut.  
The last thing she knew before she drifted off into dreamland was a pair of lips pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.


	10. Attack on Diagon Alley

**Chapter Ten: Attack on Diagon Alley**

The date was August 16th and Layla and Blaise were now close friends  
OWL results had arrived yesterday, along with the list of school supplies she needed to pick up for the new year.  
She had received Outstandings in Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, DADA, Potions and Transfiguration, Exceeds Expectations in Astronomy and Herbology, and had somehow managed to scrape an Acceptable not only in Divination, but also in History of Magic, even though she'd collapsed halfway through the exam.  
She had also been appointed, to her great surprise, the new Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.  
Professor Lupin, who had practically demanded that Layla call him Remus, had been ecstatic.  
Blaise had received Outstandings in everything but History of Magic and Astronomy, in which he had gotten Exceeds Expectations, and the four of them were now on their way to Diagon Alley.

After withdrawing some money from Layla's vault at Gringotts, their first stop was at Madam Malkin's for new robes.  
Then they hit Flourish and Blott's before visiting the Apothecary.  
After that, Blaise accompanied Layla to Ollivander's while Remus went with Madame Zabini to take care of a quick errand.  
They agreed to meet up at the Leaky Cauldron for dinner.  
Afterwards, Remus would Apparate with Layla to his house, where she would be staying for the rest of the summer.

Ten minutes later, Layla left the shop with a beautifully-crafted wand that Mr. Ollivander described as "elder and thestral hair, thirteen and a quarter inches, surprisingly swishy."  
"A highly unusual wand for an equally unusual witch," the old wizard had commented as Layla placed her money on the counter.  
They were just passing Eeylops Owl Emporium when a deafening explosion shook the alley and everyone started panicking, nearly trampling each other in their haste to escape as approximately 70 hooded figures appeared out of nowhere and started shooting curses in all directions.  
As the main street filled with smoke, Blaise grabbed Layla's hand and ran.

Suddenly, the Shadow Veela suddenly caught sight of a little girl with wavy blonde hair and cornflower-blue eyes who couldn't be more than seven years desperately attempting to wake up a woman with curly reddish-gold hair tied back in a low ponytail who lay motionless on the ground, her wide blue-green eyes staring blankly up at the sky and a crying baby who appeared to be approximately four months old and seemed to have inherited her mother's reddish-gold hair in a stroller nearby.  
"Layla, no!" Blaise yelled as the 16 year old rushed over and lifted the screaming infant into her arms while taking the older one by the hand before dashing back to where Blaise was standing.  
"Are you insane?" the Slytherin hissed furiously as Layla shoved the baby into his arms.  
"Just help me find somewhere safe to hide them!" the raven-haired girl snapped as she picked up the seven year old and took off down the street.

Catching sight of Fred and George's new shop, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, they hurried inside and ducked into the back room where she found the twins quickly herding a large group of first and second years, along with several younger children into a secret room that had been cleverly concealed behind a large wooden shelf stocked with various love potions.  
Layla urgently pressed the two children she'd managed to save into George's arms before turning back toward the entrance.  
She had barely taken three steps toward the door, however, when Fred grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her inside with everyone else before resealing the entrance with a quick wave of his wand and throwing up a silencing bubble around the room so that no one outside could overhear them.  
The raven-haired girl glared at the redhead, but he just gave her a mutinous look.  
"Sorry, Layla, but Remus was in here about ten minutes ago, right after the Death Eaters first appeared, and he specifically told us that if we were to see you, under no circumstances were we to let you try and get yourself injured or killed fighting You-Know-Who's lackeys!" he explained hurriedly as George sent off a Patronus to let Remus know that Layla was safe.  
Layla scowled, but reluctantly conceded the point and fell silent, choosing instead to try and comfort the child in her arms who was now so scared that tears were streaming down her cheeks while Blaise gently rubbed the baby's back.

"Shhhh," she murmured quietly, soothingly petting the little girl's hair as shouts and explosions came from the other side of the shelf concealing them.  
"It's okay, little one, we're safe here, everything's going to be alright!"  
The seven year old hiccupped and clung tighter to Blaise's neck.  
After what seemed like forever, a silver lynx appeared, announcing that the Death Eaters were gone and everyone could leave their hiding places.  
Fred and George quietly led Layla and the rest of the children through Diagon Alley to the Leaky Cauldron where a group of Aurors quickly procceeded to take charge of the children.

"Meagan! Claire!" she heard a voice call as a brown-haired man in the standard red Auror robes came rushing over.  
The seven year old's tearstained face lit up.  
"Daddy!" she squealed happily as the man instantly snatched both her and the baby up into his arms, thanking the two teenagers profusely for saving his children.

A little while later, Layla and Blaise were sitting at a table with steaming mugs of Firewhiskey when Remus and Madame Zabini finally appeared.  
The werewolf's robes were ripped in several places and he had a few scratches, but was otherwise unharmed.  
He glanced quickly around the pub before spotting Layla and rushing to check her for injuries.  
Out of the corner of her eye, the 16 year old could see Blaise receiving the exact same treatment from his mother.  
Finding none, Remus let out a strangled noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob as he hugged Layla tightly.  
"Oh, thank Merlin!" the werewolf choked out hoarsely.  
"We were so worried..." he broke off, burying his face in the 16 year old's hair.  
When Remus finally managed to calm himself down, the two bid farewell to Blaise and his mother before the werewolf took Layla's arm and disapparated after being assured that their purchases would be owled to them later that day.


	11. Surprising Revelations

**Chapter Eleven: Surprising Revelations**

Tears streamed down Layla's face as she hugged Remus goodbye at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.  
"I don't want to go!" she sobbed as she clung even tighter to the werewolf's robes, burying her face in the soft, slightly musty material.  
Remus chuckled and patted the 16 year old's head, Moony howling in happiness that their mate wanted to stay with them.  
Now, if he could just manage to work up the courage to actually tell Layla that she was his mate...

The werewolf sighed inwardly, mentally cursing himself.  
No, what was he thinking?  
He was too old, too poor and too dangerous for her!  
She would be better off finding someone with a steady job, someone who didn't turn into a monster every month, someone with enough money to support her and any future children.

Remus sensed Moony's indignation at those thoughts.  
Their mate and cubs would be perfectly safe with them!  
"Oh, I think you might be seeing me again sooner than you think..." the werewolf murmured quietly in her ear.  
"Don't forget to say hello to your new Defense teacher, by the way!"  
Swiping furiously at her teary eyes, Layla squeezed him tightly around the middle before forcing herself to let go as the train began to move.  
Quickly jumping on board, she leaned out the window, waving as Remus grew smaller and smaller as the train picked up speed.  
Then it rounded a corner and Remus was gone.

Five Hours Later:

Layla yawned tiredly as she stepped off the train.  
She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.  
Heavily dragging herself over to the thestral-drawn carriages, she collapsed into a seat and let herself doze...  
The next thing she knew, the carriage had stopped with a jolt and she stumbled out into the heavy wave of students entering the castle.  
Struggling to keep her eyes open as she entered the Great Hall, the raven-haired girl couldn't believe her eyes when she saw who was sitting in the DADA teacher's spot at the Head table.  
The 16 year old let out a shriek and flew over to where Remus was sitting, snickering under his breath at her reaction.  
"What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Remus John Lupin?" she hissed, furiously shaking him by the shoulders.  
"How could you not tell me that you're teaching DADA again?"  
"I did!" the werewolf laughed.  
"Remember me telling you to say hi to your new Defense teacher on the platform?"  
Layla reddened and smacked him upside the head.  
"Well I didn't know you were talking about yourself, you git!"  
Then she smirked.  
"You are _so_ in for it when you teach the Gryffindor/Slytherin 6th years!  
All of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th year girls, along with half of the 5th-7th years, both girls _and _boys, had the biggest crush on you back in 3rd year!  
Around Christmas that year, I do believe I heard Lavender and Parvati talking about starting a Professor Lupin fan club..."  
Cackling gleefully at his expression of pure horror, the 16 year old walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down, grinning evilly as Remus hid his burning face in his arms.

The teenager managed to stay awake throughout the Sorting and Dumbledore's announcements, applauding wildly with the majority of the students when it was announced that Remus would be teaching DADA again.  
"Finally!" she heard Seamus roar, pounding his fist on the table excitedly.  
"Hear, hear!" Dean echoed gleefuly amid Lavender and Parvati's squeals of delight.  
Remus reddened even further at their overly-enthusiastic reactions while Snape just looked sour.

Halfway through the feast, however, Layla found herself drifting off despite her best efforts to stay awake.  
By the time Dumbledore sent the students off to bed, the dark-haired girl was already fast asleep..  
As the teachers filed out, Remus headed over to the Gryffindor table and gently lifted the raven-haired teen into his arms.  
Walking up the Grand Staircase, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl, the werewolf quietly murmured the password - "_Honor and Unity_" - and walked up the girls' staircase to the door marked _'Sixth Years'_, the staircase automatically allowing him to pass due to his status as a Hogwarts teacher.

Glancing around the small dorm, Remus saw that everyone was already asleep, along with, to his great dismay, several blown up photos of himself on the wall around Lavender and Parvati's beds with multiple lipstick kiss prints as he pulled back the covers on Layla's bed.  
Taking great care not to wake her roomates, the werewolf quickly undressed the sleeping girl, slipping a long white nightgown over her head before snugly tucking the covers back around her, mindful of the early September chill coming from an open window which he immediately closed and locked.  
He placed a quick kiss on top of the 16 year old's dark hair before silently slipping out of Gryffindor Tower and retiring to his own rooms.


	12. Love Hurts

**Chapter Twelve: Love Hurts**

Tears streamed down Layla's cheeks as the teenager lay on her bed, sobbing into her pillow.  
The date was October 31, 1996.  
She had been back at Hogwarts for two months now, yet the raven-haired girl currently felt more alone than ever.

Just two hours earlier, right after lunch, Layla had gone to the library and asked Madam Pince if Hogwarts had any books about Shadow Veela.  
The elderly librarian had given her a suspicious look, but bustled off, returning with a small, journal-sized tome bound in black leather with the title _'__Everything You Need To Know About Shadow Veela__' _emblazoned in silver on the front cover.  
The 16 year old thanked her politely before heading back to Gryffindor Tower, the book tucked safely in her bag.

On her way back to the tower, the dark-haired girl decided to say hi to Remus.  
But when she arrived at his office door, she saw the werewolf talking to Tonks.  
The 16 year old watched as Remus leaned forward and his lips met Tonks' before deciding that she'd better leave, feeling as if her heart had been violently ripped from her chest and viciously stomped on.  
Over the course of the next few weeks, Remus and Tonks' relationship seemed to strengthen while Layla slowly wasted away.

It was now late in the evening of December 16th.  
Most of the students had gone home for the holidays two days ago and Layla was walking through a seemingly-empty courtyard. when she saw Remus and Tonks caught in a heated snog session on a snow-covered bench.  
Seeing red, she stormed over, her raised hand making sharp contact with the startled Metamorphmagus' face, razor-sharp claws gouging four vertical slashes into her right cheek.  
Before she even knew what had happened, the dark-haired teen felt a harsh backhand connect with her left cheek and fell onto her back, her wings coming out as she clutched her reddening cheek, staring disbelievingly up at a visibly enraged Remus.  
When the werewolf spoke, every syllable was low and dangerous.

"You pathetic little bitch!" Remus growled out venomously.  
"How dare you attack my mate?"  
Tears filled Layla's eyes as the werewolf snarled at her.  
"I officially renounce all ties that previously existed between us.  
You are no longer a member of my pack!"

Layla's already broken heart shattered completely as the werewolf glared hatefully down at her.  
Scrambling to her feet, she fled into the castle, sobbing uncontrollably.  
As she ran through the corridors, the raven-haired girl heard a familiar voice call her name.  
Slowing, she saw Blaise running to catch up.  
"What's wrong?" the caramel-skinned boy asked worriedly, catching sight of her tearstained cheeks.  
Layla let out a soft sob.  
"My mate hates me!" she choked out miserably before bursting into tears and fleeing up to Gryffindor Tower.

Choking out the password and clambering through the portrait hole, Layla felt a crushing wave of exhaustion take hold.  
Dragging her weakened body up the stairs and into her dormitory, Layla barely had enough energy to change into her favorite pair of winter pajamas, dark blue with silver snowflakes, and collapse into bed, using the last of her strength to pull the covers up to her chin before finally surrendering to the blissful darkness.


	13. Consequences Revealed

**Chapter Thirteen: Consequences Revealed**

Remus picked disinterestedly at his breakfast the next day, unable to muster up the will to actually eat anything.  
Finally giving up all pretenses of eating, the werewolf pushed his full plate away and got to his feet, unable to shake the nagging sensation of dread that he'd been feeling ever since he'd woken up that morning.  
Remus was just approaching the Grand Staircase when his path was blocked by a highly pissed-off Blaise Zabini.  
"How could you?" the Slytherin teen burst out wildly.  
The werewolf raised an eyebrow.  
"I beg your pardon?" he queried lightly.  
Blaise let out a vicious snarl and lunged at him, a pair of black and gray feathered wings sprouting from his back and razor-sharp claws extending from his fingertips.  
Before he could make physical contact, however, a pair of strong arms quickly grabbed him around the middle and dragged him backwards.

"Mr. Zabini, what exactly do you think you're doing, attacking a Hogwarts Profesor?" the Potions Master questioned silkily, his fathomless black eyes glinting dangerously.  
The Slytherin hissed in rage.  
"He rejected her!" Blaise growled venomously and Snape reared back as if he had been slapped, his head whipping around to face Remus.  
"You did what?" he hissed murderously.  
"What in Merlin's name is going on?" the frustrated werewolf wanted to know.

The Potions Master pinched the bridge of his nose.  
"Did you or did you not reject your mate?" he demanded urgently.  
Remus frowned.  
"Why would I reject my mate?" he asked in confusion.  
"I love Dora, I could never hurt her like that!"

Snape and Blaise glanced at each other in concern.  
"Excuse me, but did you just say that the Metamorphmagus is your mate?" the Potions Master pressed.  
Remus nodded in confirmation and the two Slytherins shared a look.  
"How long have you two been together?" Snape demanded.  
"About six weeks," the werewolf responded.  
The Potions Master abruptly grabbed Remus' arm and dragged the protesting werewolf down to the dungeons where he shoved a large goblet into his hands.  
"Drink!" Snape ordered harshly and Remus obeyed, grimacing heavily at the sharp, bitter taste.  
Almost immediately, his face cleared.

"What was that?" the werewolf asked curiously.  
"Antidote to Amortentia," the Potions Master stated impassively.  
"Amortentia?" Remus gaped incredulously.  
But before he could say anything else, Snape interrupted.  
"Lupin, who is your mate?"  
Remus' brow furrowed.  
"Layla, of course, I told you that four months ago!" the werewolf answered matter-of-factly.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror and his face paled as he remembered the events of the last six weeks.  
"FUCK!" Remus growled furiously.  
He grabbed hold of Snape's robes.  
"Severus, what are the consequences of a Shadow Veela being rejected by their mate?" the werewolf demandeded urgently.  
The Potions Master sighed heavily.  
When he finally replied, his voice was grim.  
"Death."  
Remus swore viciously before rushing off in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.

Barking out the password, he practically tore up the narrow, twisting staircase leading to the girls' dorms and burst through the door marked _'__Sixth Years__'_.  
For several agonizing seconds, Blaise heard nothing but silence.  
Then there was a loud, heartbreaking wail of raw pain and anguish and the Slytherin teen quickly rushed up the stairs and into the dorm where he saw Professor Lupin kneeling next to one of the beds, desperately shaking Layla's motionless form as he begged and pleaded for her to wake up.  
Blaise stumbled and would have fallen if Profesor Snape hadn't caught him in time.  
His dark gray eyes filled with tears.  
"Lupin?"  
The Potions Master's voice was barely audible.

The werewolf lifted his head and just stared blankly at them, his eyes filled with pure agony and heartbreak.  
"I can't wake her, she's hardly even breathing!" Remus choked out miserably.  
"Her heartbeat's so weak..."  
The werewolf's voice broke and he buried his face in the crook of his mate's neck, his shoulders heaving with the force of his sobs as he wept bitterly.  
Oh Merlin, what had he done?


	14. Drifting

**Chapter Fourteen: Drifting**

_Layla floated peacefully in an endless sea of white mist, feeling calm and relaxed for the first time in her life.  
__Here, she didn't have to think, didn't have to feel.  
__Everything was perfect, there was no pain, no sorrow, no nothing.  
__Just blissful peace.  
__She could stay here forever…  
__  
Slowly, snippets of voices and snatches of fragmented conversations came and went as the dark-haired girl drifted peacefully without a care in the world.  
__A woman's voice slowly came into hearing range.  
_"Remus…go…full moon…minutes…"  
_A man's voice replied, sounding weary and broken, and Layla felt a piercing pain in her heart just listening to it.  
_"No…won't leave her…"  
_Silence returned and Layla drifted again._


	15. Painful Regrets

**Chapter Fifteen: Painful Regrets**

"I'm so sorry, Remus, but there's nothing more I can do for her," Madam Pomfrey said sadly.  
Remus let out a pained sob.  
"Surely there must be something, anything…" the werewolf begged, tears streaming down his face.  
The mediwitch just shook her head sympathetically.  
"I'm afraid that it's up to her now!"  
That was all it took for Remus' heart to shatter completely and the devastated werewolf broke down sobbing as Moony let out a long, keening, sorrow-filled howl.

A short while later, Remus was sitting by Layla's bed, cradling her cold, limp hand between both of his own and just staring at the girl, tears falling continuously down his cheeks.  
A single tear dripped down his nose and landed on the pale, bluish flesh of the 16 year old's icy hand as the werewolf took in the young girl's closed eyes and peaceful expression.  
"I'm so sorry, Layla!" Remus wept.  
"If Tonks hadn't slipped me that love potion, you wouldn't be going through this right now!  
I swear, honey, I never meant to hurt you.  
I love you, Layla, you are my mate, the only mate I'll ever have, the only mate I'll ever want!  
I don't want anybody but you as my mate."  
The werewolf let out a choked sob, gently lifting the teenager's icy hand and kissing the limp, unresponsive fingers.

One Month Later:

Time passed and Layla remained unconscious.  
It was now a full month since the raven-haired girl had slipped into a coma and the teenager showed no signs of waking.  
In all that time, Remus hadn't left her side even once, for fear that his mate might surrender her weak grasp on life.  
Multiple bouquets of flowers and boxes of candy from friends and well-wishers littered her bedside table.  
Blaise had even bought Layla a fluffy little black kitten which was currently curled up into the raven-haired girl's side, fast asleep.  
The werewolf leaned forward, one hand reaching out to clasp the small, pale one of his mate.  
His lips moved, but no sound came out, his throat had a lump so big that he couldn't speak.  
"Come on, Layla, wake up!" Remus begged, tears streaming down his cheeks.  
"Please don't leave me…"

Over and over, the werewolf pleaded with his mate's fragile soul to remain, hoping that somehow, Layla would hear him and latch on to his voice as a lifeline to help guide her back to the waking world.  
But the dark-haired girl remained still and silent, her spirit wandering another realm.  
Remus trembled, trying to contain the torrent of grief that surged up inside him.  
Every second that Layla remained in her coma, the werewolf worried more and more that his mate would never wake up.  
Staring at the 16 year old's limp body lying motionless in the bed, watching her life slip away before his eyes, Remus knew it was becoming more and more likely that his mate would die.  
And he was terrified.

Glancing down at Layla's peaceful face, the werewolf dissolved into uncontrollable sobs.  
"Oh Merlin, Layla!" Remus wept.  
"Please, honey, you can't leave me!  
Not now, not like this!  
Layla, honey, please, you have to wake up!  
Come back to me, Sweetheart!  
Please come back…"  
The werewolf buried his face in his hands, weeping bitterly.  
His mate was dying and there was nothing he could do to save her.

Remus felt a light touch on his shoulder.  
"Remus, it's time to go," Madam Pomfrey said gently.  
"The full moon rises in ten minutes."  
The werewolf just shook his head negatively.  
"No," he rasped out brokenly.  
"I won't leave her!"  
The mediwitch just shook her head sadly and left.

Remus walked over to the window of the small private room that Layla had been placed in and gazed out into the night.  
Finally, the full moon came out from behind a cloud and the werewolf's transformation began.  
Remus fell to the ground, screaming in agony as his bones broke and reshaped themselves before mending together seamlessly.  
His fingers and toes fused, the nails sharpening into claws as his hands and feet grew fur and widened to become paws.  
It felt like eternity, but was really just a couple of minutes.

Soon, the the transformation was complete and Moony sniffed the air, whining as he caught a whiff of honey and jasmine.  
His mate was in the room; his real mate, not that shape-shifting human bitch who had tricked Moony into thinking that she was his mate.  
The large brown wolf bared his teeth at the memory.  
It was because of her that his real mate was sick and wouldn't wake up.  
If he ever saw her again, he would rip her apart for what she had done to his precious mate.

Moony padded over to the bed where his mate was sleeping and jumped up onto the mattress, pushing his cold, wet nose into the crook of his mate's neck and whimpering anxiously as he licked her cheek, trying to send whatever comfort he could through the shattered remnants of their bond.  
At least the fake mate hadn't been able to fully break the link between him and his real mate.  
If she had, Moony just knew that his poor mate would have already been dead by the time he'd found her in the section of the lion's den where the females slept.  
As it was, his mate might still die at any moment…

As he thought this, his mate's breathing turned into strangled, wheezing gasps and Moony let out a piercing howl, trying to alert the human healer that something was wrong with his mate.  
The human healer quickly appeared, taking one look at Moony's choking mate and pulling a small container of purple liquid out of her bag before pouring it down his mate's throat.  
Almost immediately, his mate's breathing eased and the wolf licked the human healer's hand in thanks.  
As the hours passed and the night wore on, Moony curled up protectively against his mate's side and slowly drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	16. Return to Reality

**Chapter Sixteen: Return to Reality**

Layla slowly drifted into consciousness, finally leaving the bubble of pure nothingness that had encased her for Merlin only knew how long.  
Wearily prying her heavy eyelids open, the Shadow Veela's jaw dropped as she took in the exhausted-looking figure slumped over, fast asleep, in a chair next to her bed, his slackened hand resting on the bedsheets just a few centimeters away from Layla's own and his head lolling forward as he snored gently...

Remus abruptly jerked awake mid-snore.  
Wiping the sleep from his eyes, the werewolf groggily glanced around the dark room, searching for whatever disturbance had awakened him.  
Slumping tiredly in his chair, he suddenly froze as his gaze fell on the dark-haired girl at whose bedside he had stayed for the past six weeks.  
Remus blinked, rubbing his eyes disbelievingly, then blinked again.  
However, the vision remained the same.  
Layla was leaning weakly against her pillows, her beautiful emerald eyes open and gazing straight into his own, a small smile etched upon her lips.

The werewolf let out a shuddering gasp, then launched forward, his arms wrapping around the 16 year old in a tight embrace.  
Sobbing uncontrollably, he pressed wet, tearful kisses onto every inch of the raven-haired girl's face.  
"Oh, thank Merlin!" Remus wept, burying his face into the crook of Layla's neck as his tears flowed unrestrained.

For about fifteen minutes, all that could be heard was the sound of the werewolf's inconsolable weeping as he clung to the dark-haired girl.  
Finally, Remus sniffled and pulled away, but grabbed hold of the 16 year old's hand instead, Moony unwilling to completely abandon physical contact with his mate.  
"Oh Gods, Layla, I was so scared..." the werewolf sobbed, his face still stained with tears and his eyes red and swollen.  
The dark-haired girl squeezed his hand comfortingly as he dissolved into a fresh wave of tears.  
Stiff muscles protesting painfully, Layla slowly raised her arms and looped them around the crying man's neck, hugging him as best as she could in her weakened condition.

Remus sobbed even harder at the physical touch, lovingly caressing the 16 year old's hair as his tears dripped down his nose and landed in his mate's glossy black waves.  
"Merlin, Layla, I love you so much!" the werewolf wept, clinging tightly to the raven-haired girl's hand.  
"You're my mate...don't want anyone else...Tonks...love potion..."  
The dark-haired girl gently petted the distraught werewolf's greying brown hair, making soft shushing noises as she attempted to comfort her mate.  
Suddenly, she heard a small meow coming from her left side.  
Glancing down, Layla saw a fluffy black kitten staring curiously up at her with piercing green eyes that were strikingly similar to her own stunning emerald orbs...  
"What...how...where?" she stammered as she carefully picked up the tiny kitten, gently stroking the wonderfully soft fur..  
Remus chuckled through his tears.  
"A get well gift from Blaise," the werewolf explained.  
"She still needs a name, though..."

Layla gazed at the kitten for a few moments, pondering.  
"Not Bastet...Athena? No...Isis? No...Cleo!" she finally decided.  
"What do you think, little one?" she asked her new pet.  
"Do you want to be named Cleo?"  
The kitten let out a soft purr and Layla laughed gently.  
"Cleo it is, then!" she declared happily, snuggling the tiny kitten affectionately.


End file.
